Heated debate at public meeting on Oshawa soup kitchen relocation

St. Vincent’s move still in limbo following Ontario Municipal Board appeals

St. Vincent's Kitchen

Sabrina Byrnes / Metroland

OSHAWA -- Liz Bay McCray from the Whitby Rotary Sunrise Club poured bowls of soup during the dinner service at St. Vincent's Kitchen Thursday afternoon. St. Vincent's is looking at moving to a new location and residents in that neighbourhood have expressed opposition. November 14, 2013

OSHAWA -- A public meeting held to ease fears for residents worried about an Oshawa soup kitchen relocating to their neighbourhood seemed to do little to change opinions on an emotional issue.

Officials from Durham Outlook for the Needy, which runs St. Vincent’s Kitchen, say the former Midas property at 227 Simcoe St. S., bounded by Simcoe Street South, Celina Street and Hemlock Avenue, is the perfect site for a new kitchen. Area residents have expressed strong opposition to the project.

About 70 people attended a public meeting at St. Gregory’s church on Tuesday evening and a show of hands revealed that a majority supported the relocation. The smaller group of residents who opposed it maintained the opposition after the meeting.

Officials began the meeting with a video showing the need for the move, highlighting the lack of accessibility and steep stairs and the crowded conditions at the current site.

Charity Sutherland said residents who are opposed to the relocation believe there’s a need for the service, but they don’t think it should be located in a residential neighbourhood and across the street from a school.

“We’ve been made out to be cold, uncaring people and we’re not,” she said. “We care about the community we built and we worked hard to do it.”

Concerns about Village Union prompted officials from St. Vincent’s to suggest moving the hours of operation a half hour later to opening at 4 p.m. instead of 3:30 p.m. That would be 50 minutes after the final bell at the school.

Derek Giberson, chairman of Oshawa’s accessibility advisory committee, pointed out that statistics on employment and income for people with disabilities would support a need for St. Vincent’s services to be accessible.

“This is actually a good news story here,” he said. “We have the opportunity to meet everyone’s needs in this space.”

The plans call for a single-story building that includes a dining area with seating for 64 people, a kitchen space, store space and office space all on one floor.

Oshawa resident Dot McFarlane was featured in the St. Vincent’s video and she said she and her sister Michelle, who was a wheelchair user, used the kitchen when they hit a rough time in their lives not only for the food but also for the social aspect.

“Back in the late 90s we were regular clients of the kitchen and we had to stop going as she became more dependent on her wheelchair,” said Ms. McFarlane. “She was really upset.”

Ms. McFarlane said she felt the response from the residents was a not-in-my-backyard -- NIMBY -- situation.

According to statistics provided at the meeting, a survey of clients determined that the bulk live in the area surrounding the proposed new location.

“It puts us in the centre of the majority of our patrons,” said Frank Lowe, president of the board of directors for Durham Outlook for the Needy.

Keith Tregunna repeated his concerns about the impact on real estate values in the neighbourhood.

“There isn’t a real estate person in Oshawa who will tell you the real estate values will remain the same across from a soup kitchen,” he said.

Mr. Tregunna said area businesses and Oshawa Italian Recreation Club all oppose the relocation. Italian club president Andrea Micieli confirmed his opposition.

Mr. Tregunna also believes there won’t be enough parking at the site. The property is zoned commercial and Durham Outlook for the Needy did not need City approval to locate to that site, but the organization requested a parking variance that would reduce the number of parking spots required. Officials had argued that because most clients take the bus or walk, St. Vincent’s wouldn’t need as many parking spots as a typical restaurant. The City of Oshawa granted the parking variance request late last year.

Mr. Tregunna rejected the argument and said parking is already tight in the area. He’s appealing the parking variance approval.

“No matter what happens here tonight, I am going to the Ontario Municipal Board,” he vowed.

Following the meeting, Mr. Lowe said the organization is hoping for a swift process at the OMB as the land purchase is contingent on the parking situation. If it drags out, the deal may fall through.

Reporter Reka Szekely covers the City of Oshawa for Metroland Media Group’s Durham Region Division. Reka's social media column appears every other week. Contact her on Facebook, Twitter (@rszekely)

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(1) Comment

By Jack|FEBRUARY 03, 2014 07:34 PM

It seems that Oshawa This Week is having a hard time accepting the fact that St. Vincent's kitchen is NOT a soup kitchen which, as a member of the board, I stated at the meeting. Is there any particular reason why you keep on referring to it as such?